EPA director Larry Stapleton (Irish Examiner
letters, November 11) said that in my letter (Irish Examiner, October
31) I ignored the fact that dioxin levels in Ireland were low compared
with the EU limit.

This may be true, but it shouldn't give us any
false comfort. If Mr Stapleton had attended the oral hearing in Cork
he might have learned something new about these EU limits and be less
inclined to rely on them.

For example, he would have heard expert medical
evidence from Dr Gavin Ten Tusscher, paediatrician, scientist, and
a member of the EU technical group on bio-monitoring of children,
state that harm was occurring to children even under permitted licence
conditions.

This is because the tolerable levels are measured
in relation to adults and not children, even though children are more
vulnerable and adversely affected by exposure to dioxins. The EPA's
apparent refusal to date to consider such evidence is deeply worrying,
particularly in the light of the advice given by Dr Ten Tusscher -
ie, it would be wise to assess the extent of the harm these pollutants
would cause to people's health before deciding to grant a licence.

When Mr Stapleton refers "to putting some
facts about the report into some perspective," this again gives
very cold comfort when you realise - as I do, having attended the
oral hearing - that the Indaver incineration company produced no health
impact assessment when making their application.

In addition, Dr Anthony Staines, senior lecturer
in epidemiology, Department of Public Health, UCD, and co-author of
the Government-funded Health Research Bureau report, told the hearing
of the inability of the EPA and the Department of Health to monitor
such facilities.

The public at large would have more confidence
in government agencies, including the EPA, if they proved themselves
more open and willing to take into account all available evidence,
and not simply present information to portray themselves in the best
possible light.

The public interest would be better served if
taxpayers' money was spent on a baseline health study of Cork harbour
rather than on PR companies.